Acoustic receiver having improved mechanical suspension

• US 20020146141A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
• Original Assignee: Sonionmicrotronic Nederland B.V.
• Inventors: Augustijn, Jeroen P.J., Geschiere, Onno, Koenderink, Arno W., Auf dem Brinke, Justus Elisa, Hijman, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,088,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/368
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 11/04 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers

Abstract

The present invention is a receiver that includes electronics for converting an input audio signal to an output acoustic signal. The receiver has a housing for containing at least a portion of the electronics. The housing includes a port for broadcasting the output acoustic signal. A suspension system is coupled to the housing for dampening vibrations of the housing. In one preferred embodiment, the suspension system includes three resilient contact structures for contacting a surrounding structure in which the receiver is placed. The contact structures are positioned at specific locations to provide variable dampening levels. In another embodiment, the dampening is provided by a low-viscosity, gel-like material positioned between the housing and the surrounding structure.

Claims

1. A miniature receiver, comprising:

electro-acoustic components for converting an input audio signal to an output acoustic signal;

a housing for containing at least a portion of said electro-acoustic components, said housing including a port for broadcasting said output acoustic signal; and

a suspension system coupled to said housing for dampening vibrations of said housing, said suspension system including exactly three resilient contact structures for contacting external structures surrounding said receiver.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said suspension system is made entirely of a resilient material.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein two of said three resilient contact structures are adjacent to said port.

4. The receiver of claim 3, wherein said two of said three resilient contact structures are on either side of said port.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said surrounding structures comprise a housing of a listening device.

6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said electro-acoustic components include electromagnetic elements, all of said electro-acoustic components being contained in said housing.

7. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said suspension system includes two distinct components, a first distinct component being adjacent to a first end of said housing, a second distinct component being adjacent to a second end of said housing.

8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein said first distinct component includes a cradle section fitting around said housing, said cradle section being configured to avoid obstruction of said port.

9. The receiver of claim 8, wherein said cradle section includes two of said three resilient contact structures.

10. The receiver of claim 9, wherein said two of said three resilient contact structures include an attachment region for engaging said surrounding structure, said attachment region having a smaller cross-sectional area than adjacent portions of said resilient contact structures.

11. The receiver of claim 9, wherein each of said two of said three resilient contact structures includes a region geometrically configured to dampen said vibrations of said housing.

12. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said region has a rectangular cross-section.

13. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said region has a circular cross-section.

14. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said region is directly attached to said cradle section.

15. The receiver of claim 7, said second distinct component includes one of said three resilient contact structures, said one of said three resilient contact structures including a passage for lead wires coupled to said receiver.

16. The receiver of claim 7, wherein said first and second distinct components have cradle sections fitting around a portion of said housing.

17. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said housing receiver has six surfaces, two of said three resilient contact structures extending from opposing surfaces, one of said three resilient contact structures extending from a surface bridging said opposing surfaces.

18. The receiver of claim 17, wherein said opposing surfaces have heights, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at substantially the same height on respective ones of said opposing surfaces.

19. The receiver of claim 17, wherein said opposing surfaces have heights, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at different heights on respective ones of said opposing surfaces for translating vibrations into rotational movement.

20. The receiver of claim 17, wherein said opposing surfaces have lengths measured from said bridging surface, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at different lengths on respective ones of said opposing surfaces.

21. The receiver of claim 1, wherein one of said three resilient contact structures is a resilient layer at an end of said housing.

22. The receiver of claim 21, wherein said resilient layer includes openings therethrough for passing wires that enter into said housing.

23. The receiver of claim 22, wherein said wires extend between said housing and a printed circuit board, said resilient layer being sandwiched between said housing and said printed circuit board.

24. The receiver of claim 1, wherein said surrounding structures are located on a secondary housing for said receiver.

26. The receiver of claim 25, wherein said plurality of surfaces comprise a housing having six surfaces, two of said three resilient contact structures extending from opposing surfaces, one of said three resilient contact structures extending from a surface bridging said opposing surfaces.

27. The receiver of claim 26, wherein said opposing surfaces have heights, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at substantially the same height on respective ones of said opposing surfaces.

28. The receiver of claim 26, wherein said opposing surfaces have heights, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at different heights on respective ones of said opposing surfaces.

29. The receiver of claim 26, wherein said opposing surfaces have lengths measured from said bridging surface, said two of said three resilient contact structures being at different lengths on respective ones of said opposing surfaces.

30. The receiver of claim 25, wherein one of said three resilient contact structures is a resilient layer at an end of said housing.

31. The receiver of claim 25, wherein said surrounding structure comprises a housing of a listening device.

32. The receiver of claim 31, wherein said listening device is a hearing aid.

33. The receiver of claim 25, wherein said surrounding structure are located on a secondary housing for said receiver.

34. The receiver of claim 25, wherein said three resilient contact structures include regions geometrically configured to dampen said vibrations of said housing.

35. The receiver of claim 25, wherein said electro-acoustic components include electromagnetic elements, all of said electro-acoustic components being contained in said housing.

37. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said suspension system provides a three-point mount for said housing.

38. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said suspension system provides different dampening levels at different locations on said housing.

39. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said transducer is a microphone.

40. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said suspension system includes two distinct components, said plurality of contact structures including three resilient structures located on said two distinct components and projecting away from said housing.

41. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said geometric selection entails a selection of a cross-sectional shape of said plurality of contact structures.

42. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said geometric selection entails a selection of a dimensional shape of said plurality of contact structures.

43. The transducer of claim 36, wherein said suspension system converts said vibration to rotational movement.

25. A receiver, comprising:

electro-acoustic components for converting an input audio signal to an output acoustic signal;

a housing for containing at least a portion of said electro-acoustic components, said housing including a port for broadcasting said output acoustic signal, said housing having a plurality of surfaces, adjacent ones of said plurality of surfaces meeting at a corner; and

a suspension system coupled to said housing for dampening vibrations of said housing, said suspension system including three resilient contact structures for contacting external structures surrounding said receiver, at least one of said three resilient contact structures being positioned along said surfaces away from said corners.

36. An electro-acoustic transducer, comprising:

components for transducing between audio signals and acoustic signals;

a housing for containing said components; and

a suspension system coupled to said housing and including a plurality of contact structures geometrically selected, based on inherent material properties of said plurality of contact structures, to dampen vibrations of said housing.

44. A transducer, comprising:

components for transducing between audio signals and acoustic signals;

a housing for containing said components; and

a suspension system coupled to said housing providing variable dampening levels along said housing.

45. The transducer of claim 44, wherein said suspension system comprises resilient contact structures.

46. The transducer of claim 45, wherein said resilient contact structures provide a three-point suspension of said housing relative to a surrounding structure.

47. The transducer of claim 44, wherein said suspension system comprises a viscoelastic material positioned on an exterior of said housing.

48. The transducer of claim 47, wherein said viscoelastic material is a gel-like material.

49. The transducer of claim 44, wherein said suspension system converts said vibration to rotational movement.

50. A method of dampening vibration in a receiver having a housing for containing components that convert an input audio signal to an output acoustic signal, comprising:

determining said vibration characteristics of said receiver,

selecting a geometry of a plurality of contact structures to dampen vibrations having said vibration characteristics; and

coupling said housing to a surrounding structure with said plurality of contact structures.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said plurality of contact structures are resilient structures.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said plurality of contact structures provide a three-point suspension.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said selecting includes selecting different dampening levels at different locations of said housing of said receiver.

54. A transducer, comprising:

components for transducing between audio signals and acoustic signals;

a housing for containing said components; and

a viscoelastic material positioned between and contacting an exterior of said housing and a structure located around said housing.

55. A miniature receiver, comprising:

components for converting an input audio signal into an output acoustic signal;

a housing for surrounding at least a portion of said components; and

a thin layer of material extending outwardly from said housing for attachment to an external structure to provide for the mechanical suspension of said housing.